This chapter was HARD to write. I wanted it to be in character and somewhat realistic, but then I wanted to add my mush, and then I pretty much killed it. It took awhile, too. So…I would love to hear as many opinions as possible on this chapter! Critique me!

Kit.

Go away!

Kind of hard when I'm trapped inside you.

What do you want? I whined, a little less angry.

You've been lying in bed for three hours trying to fall asleep, and you're wondering what I want? SLEEP.

Well forget it. I can't sleep. I've had a bad feeling all day.

What kind of bad feeling?

You know how Akatsuki was going to come after me in three years? I'm wondering if they're coming soon…Or when exactly they'll come.

You shouldn't worry about it.

But I do worry! I'm sure I'm a match for some of them by now…but I don't want to get extracted, thank you.

Considering you're dead tired, why don't you go out and take a walk? Exhaust yourself some to make it easier.

Walking isn't very exhausting.

Run.

I grumbled, still lying awake in Sasuke's bed. It had been easy to fall asleep the night Sai and I had ramen, but not tonight. It must have been at least one in the morning.

Unfortunately, Kyubbi had a point. Maybe the fresh air would do me some good, too. Help me clear my head.

I rolled out of bed, and didn't bother changing back into regular clothes, just threw my jacket on over the top of my pajama shirt.

It was pitch black outside, all of the lights had been shut off a long time ago. I had gone on a boring mission today, still being a Genin. Usually I went on Chunin missions with Sakura, but obviously that was out.

I knew the toll Sakura's death had taken on me would fade, but never go away completely. Like my sun was gone, but I still had the moon to look forward too.

After the missions, Yamato and Kakashi had offered some hardcore training, but I was surprised I wasn't exhausted from that. Kyubbi must have been getting too efficient.

I decided to run all the way out of the city and to my training grounds, rest, then go back and see if I could find sleep.

The running exhausted me quickly, so I knew I wouldn't have troubles sleeping when I returned, and the air whooshing by was more relaxing then it was cold, clearing my conscious like I hoped it would. I almost completely forgot my fear of Akatsuki, though it lingered in the back of my head.

By the time I reached the open clearing that I use to go to almost everyday, my eyes had adjusted to the little light from the moon. Everything was clear. My eyes revealed the shapes, and the moonlight revealed the details.

Tired now?

Yeah.

A loud growl broke through his throat.

What?

Someone is stalking you! Listen!

What!?

I instantly became awake and alert. The only thing I could hear was wind and rushing water, which was normal. I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, and my eyes were perfectly adjusted.

"Try behind you."

I froze, and lost all of my senses but hearing in that moment.

That serious and deep, yet taunting and brooding voice could only belong to one person I knew, even with the changes in it from maturity.

At first all I felt was shock. I couldn't make my senses come back, and my body refused to turn around. As my senses reluctantly returned, and I became tuned with the world again, I decided it would be a mistake to show Sasuke how I really felt at the moment. It would look pathetic. I composed myself, and settled for the most obvious reaction.

"What are you doing here!?" I growled, spinning around to face him.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke emphasized on you, voice a lot calmer than mine. Still smirking. Very natural. "Out so late?" I noticed he took a large step closer.

Now I was paying more attention to him then I was the last time I saw him. Obviously I was occupied, and had caught a glimpse, but I could see I had missed some things, in particular his eyes.

Both eyes were charcoal black. Not sharingan, but they were so dull. There was no highlight or reflection from the light, and they seemed to be glazed over. He didn't even seem to blink, no matter how closely I watched. And any kind of expression he made, his eyes remained dead. Even his smirks wouldn't touch them.

I moved equally closer. "None of your business!" I replied. "Have you come to Konoha to do more damage!?" I was referring to how he'd taken Sakura's life.

"You know that wasn't my fault." Sasuke's voice sounded a bit more serious and angry. He made another forward move.

"Just your hands, sword and motion!" I screamed. "Why!?" This motion that closed the distance between us step by step continued. With everything we threw at each other, we got closer and closer to touching.

"Isn't the reason I'm here obvious?"

I bit my lip then cried, "To kill me!?"

"Guess again."

"Why don't you kill me? Why didn't you!?" I begged. "You say you were going to, and then you'd just leave it!"

"That's none of your business." He was mocking my comment from earlier, but suddenly his face was sad, and his steps got smaller and smaller, as did mine.

"I don't have anymore guesses." I whispered.

"None?" Sasuke was whispering as well.

Our steps continued but our voices didn't. We both stopped simultaneously when there was around six inches between us.

"No."

I watched his hands raise an almost unnoticeable amount from his sides, but they abruptly stopped when he noticed I was looking.

My angry act couldn't work forever.

"So why?" I repeated.

His hands lifted more, but now they were shaking. As if he telepathically asked some question, I shook my head rapidly, though I would have loved to nod more than I would have loved to keep breathing.

His hands dropped, but continued to shake. "I know you won't believe me. That's fine."

The number one best answer in my book would be that he killed his brother. He must have. Why else would he come back?

He continued, clenching and unclenching his hands. "I know you hate me. I know you hate me for trying to kill you. I know you hate me for leaving, and going to Orochimaru. I know you hate me for what I did to Sakura. You must despise me."

I said nothing, just felt my eyes get unstoppably wider.

"But I don't care. I hate me too. I don't even deserve to say this, let alone be here. I know it was stupid to come." Watching him, his dull eyes were closed, and it seemed to make a difference.

"And it's cheesy." Sasuke added, smirking. This time it seemed to reach his whole face, even with shut eyes.

"Bastard." I replied.

"Moron." I knew that was automatic, it was for me too.

I couldn't take it anymore. Something inside was screaming that he had killed Itachi, he had perhaps killed but at least broken away from Orochimaru, and that he was back forever. That I could just explain to him that none of those things he thought were true. That I would have my old Sasuke back. I reached for his hands and ran my fingers against his fists. He didn't react, so I just moved his arms and leaned against the front of him, arms sliding around. It was hard to hold in a smile.

(D:)

"I came here because I can't live without you. I needed to see you. I missed you so much it was driving me insane. Literally." His body remained stiff and his words weren't happy like I thought they would be.

Whatever was building up before suddenly broke. The way he didn't return the contact, and how is voice was so low. Then I considered his words. He missed me, and he needed to see me. Nothing about Itachi, or staying, like I had expected.

Maybe I just wanted it too much. I got too exited. I realized my mistake now.

I reached up to his chest and shoved hard. He moved with absolutely no resistance.

"You're not here to stay!" I shrieked, not posing a question. "You didn't kill him! Orochimaru probably sent you here to kill me! You just wanted-" I stopped talking. He just wanted to see me.

"I told you I didn't deserve it. Orochimaru sent me, but not to do anything. But you're right. I'm leaving."

I couldn't say anything.

"It was selfish. Only for me. But I came for one reason."

Still nothing.

"No matter how you feel, I don't care."

Nothing.

"I-"

I rushed forward and slapped my hand over his mouth. His dull eyes just half glared down at me.

"Don't say those words, I'll pass out." I whispered.

His eyes stopped glaring, they almost got soft, but they were still too dead to tell.

"Sasuke, you don't KNOW Shit. I don't care what you think either." I leaned against his chest again, this time paying attention to the fact that part of his skin was bare. Still ice cold. My current goal was to make sure he didn't go anywhere, to never let him out of my sight, despite the tiredness from earlier trying to take over. "I don't hate you. I don't hate you for trying to kill me, I'm more angry at you for not telling me why, but I feel like I'll never know. I don't hate you for leaving, I hate who you left to. I hate who you're trying to kill even more, so I understand. I don't even hate you for killing Sakura, Yamato told me. It's not your fault. I don't blame you. I was just angry when it happened. I didn't understand."

Sasuke still didn't return my embrace, but his whole body was shaking hard. It almost shook me too.

"Cheesy, yes." More mocking. "But true. Sadly, I love you doesn't cover it. You're my other half."

I felt his fingertips barely close around my shoulders. He asked the mental question again.

"It's fine." I replied out loud. I wouldn't let him leave.

He didn't go fast or slow, he moved at the perfect pace. He wrapped his arms around my waist and shifted me so my entire body was against his. My head fit perfectly underneath his chin, his head resting on top of mine. My other half.

"Hn. You adorable moron." He whispered.

"Yeah, you gorgeous bastard."

I probably just failed at SasuNaru, which has shamed me.